Condenser-pump.



.G. V. KERR.

CONDENSER PUMP. APPLICATION FILED NOV.29, 1913.

Patentd Nov. 9, 1915.

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C. V. KERR. CONDENSER PUMP. APPLICATION FILED Nov.29. 1913.

1,159,776. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- G Hommt o Witnesses COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTQNJJ. c.

CHARLES VOLNEY KERR, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CONDENSER-1911MB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed November 29, 1913. SerialNo. 803,717.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLns V. KERR, a citizen of the United States, residing at EastOrange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condenser- Pumps, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to improvements in pumps of the centrifugal type which are especially adapted for acting as a condenser for steam, or as an air pump, or both, in connection with the condensers of a steam power or pumping plant.

The objects of my invention are, first, to construct a pump of the centrifugal type having a casing which is adapted to receive air or exhaust steam or both, said steam being condensed and the air and condensed,

steam entrained or conveyed by the water passing through the pump in the most efiicient manner; second, to arrange and construct the chambers within the casing-of the centrifugal pump with respect to the impeller of said pump, so that exhaust steam may be condensed, or air and condensed steam efiiciently taken up by the impeller and passed through the pump without the steam and air interfering with each other; third, to construct an impeller of the spiroidal type so that the same is particularly adapted to be used in connection with a centrifugal pump which will condense the maximum of steam or exhaust air, or both, with a minimum use of water passing through the pump; fourth, to so construct and arrange the cooperating parts as to make a condenser pump which is compact, of low first cost, of a high and constant etliciency, and in which all the parts are easily assembled or taken apart, quickly inspected and kept clean; fifth, other objects and advantages of construction of the easing and impeller and their relation to each other, will appear from the detailed description to be presently recited in connection with the preferred form of the invention.

The invention consists of structural features and relative arrangements of the elements which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

in the accompanying two sheets of drawing, similar reference characters indicate the same parts in the several figures: in which Figure 1 is a transverse section of the pump on the line II of Fig. 2, showing one of its heads with bearing in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a section on line IIII of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is an enlarged and fragmentary view of a section of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a modified form of the pump adapted for steam and air, taken on line IVIV of Fig. 5; and Fig. 5 is a section on line VV of Fig. 4:.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, 1 is a suitable casing provided with water inlet 2. on which is preferably seated the head of a condenser of the jet type, so that the mixture of condensed steam and water from the condenser flows vertically downward into the pump, said inlet 2 being branched and divided into two symmetrical volute suction chambers, 3, 3, for reasons tobe hereinafter explained. The interior or central section of the'casing 1 has formed therein the well rounded or annular nozzle 4, which leads into the passageway or discharge conduit 5, also preferably of volute shape and integral with the annular nozzle, said conduit communicating with the outlet opening 5 and being of grad uallv increasing cross-sectional area, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Formed in the casing and concentrically arranged on each side of the annular nozzle L, and discharge conduit 5. is a chamber:6 haying preferably an upper inlet or opening 7 which is connected either with the exhaust steam or air outlet of a condenser, as desired. for purposes to be presently described. Bearing heads 8, 8, are suitably secured or bolted over the lateral openings 9, 9, of the casing'l, and each head is cast in one piece and arranged as shown with an inner chamber 10 and an outer chamber 11. The outer chamber 11 contains any form of dust-proof bearing 12 provided with the usual opening 13 and lubricating ring or rings commonly used in shaft lubrication. The inner chamber 10 is inclosed in the suction chamber 3 of the casing, and is provided with a stufling box 14 having any suitable form of packing or water sealed gland 15, together with a sealing water inlet pipe 16, the specific form of said bearings and packing and sealing forming no essential feature of the present invention, as any other forms may be readily substituted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

An impeller shaft 17 passes through the casing 1 and chambers 10 and 11 in the heads 8, and is rotatably supported in the bearings 12, 12, as shown. Said shaft may be connected to any form of high speed steam turbine or electric motor, by means of a flexible coupling, as shown for example in my Patent No. 1,073,690, dated September 23, 1913. Passing through said stufiing boxes 14, 1e, and packings 15, 15, and surrounding and protecting the impeller shaft against corrosion, is a bronze sleeve 20 having screw threads 21 at its inner end, shown more clearly in Fig. 3. Attached by a suitable key or other means, well known in this class of inventions, to said shaft 17, is a spiroidal runner or impeller 18 preferably made in two sections l8 and 18 as shown in Figs.

1 and a, and while I have shown the same as cored, said runner or impeller may be solid or in one piece, if so desired. Said sections 18 and 18 are secured in place by means of nuts 19, 19, which engage right and left hand screw threads 22 on the shaft 17 adjacent to the impeller 18, and threads 21 on the sleeves 20, 20, whereby said sections 18 and 18 are rigidly held together in a fixed relation and are prevented from slipping longitudinally on the shaft 17.

The impeller or runner 18 may be made of semi-steel, crucible steel, or non-corroding alloy or bronze, and when the two sections 18 and 18 are properly placed together or assembled, a periphery of V-shape or conoidal section 23, is formed, as shown in Fig. 3, having a certain and predetermined angle with the axis of the impeller. Vanes or blades 21, 21-, are placed on the conoidal periphery or section 23 and are so arranged and machined as to form right and left hand spiroidal working surfaces, said surfaces being generated by moving a line making a constant angle with the axis of the impeller, along a helical directrix,which directrix is inclined at a determined angle to a plane normal to the axis of the impeller. The outer edges of the blades or vanes 24, 24*, of

" each section 18 or 18", are supported and held together by a shroud ring 25, which is preferably cast integral with the impeller sections 18 and 18 respectively.

26, .26 are the inlet edges of the blades or vanes 24, 24, and 27, 27, indicate the discharge edges of the blades.

In the form of impeller sections 18 and 18 six blades or vanes are preferably used on each side, which number may be varied to suit conditions and capacity, if so desired, and will be fully within the scope of my invention. I have found that this s'peciiic form of spiroidal impeller, or runner sections 18 and 18 which has been made the sub ect-m atter of a separate and co-- pending application filed by me on August 27, 1913, and Serial No. 786,946, is not only theoretically correct but also permits the varies and spiroidal working surfaces of the blades 24, 24:, to be readily machined. or smoothed, thereby reducing the frictional. resistance and insuring uniform and efficient operation. Furthermore, by providing two sections, 18 and 18, instead of a single casting, the same can be cheaply manufactured, easily handled and adjusted, and made perfectly rigid and balanced.

While the preferred form of impeller has the blades or vanes 24-, 24. on each side directly opposite each other, I have found that this particular arrangement is not necessary for the successful operation of the pump, and said blades 2%., 2%, may be staggered by simply turning on the shaft 17, one of the sections 18 or 18*, of the impeller 18, through any angle, but preferably one corresponding to one-half the peripheral dis tance between the ap'exes of the blades or vanes 24. While l have shown, described, and prefer the use of an impeller of the spiroidal type, it is possible to use an ordinary centrifugal impeller, but it will be readily seen from the construction shown in the drawings, that the spiroidal type of impeller easily adapts itself to secure a good arrangement of condensing pump, in which the total head required is small and the volume of water relatively large, as when driven in connection with high speed tun bines or motors, for efficient operation.

To the inner sections of the walls of the casing 1 at each side of the annular nozzle e and adjacent to the shroud rings 25, 25 of the impeller sections 18 and 18 are fastened removable, combined packing and wear rings 28 which are L-shaped in cross section, said rings 28 being provided. with a. series of openings 29, 29, corresponding to the steam or air chambers 6, 6, as shown, and for purposes to be hereinafter described.

In the modifications shown in Figs. l and 5, the general construction and arrangement of casing 1, air or steam chamber 6, and im peller 18, are as heretofore explained and need no further disclosure, except that in this modified form the bearing heads 8, 8, secured over the lateral openings 9, 9, are larger and are made hollow so as to provide an exhaust steam. or air chamber 30, having an inlet 31, and an annular outlet 32 surrounding the bronze sleeve 20 and shaft 17, within the suction chambers 3, 3, said outlets 32'being adjacent to the inlet edges 26 of the blades 24 on impeller 18 .for purposes to be hereinafter described.

During the operation of the impeller 18 rotating rapidly in the direction of the al" rows (1-, indicated on Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the water leaving the condenser flows through the intake or inlet 2 and is divided and carried into two volute suction chambers 33, 3. and is then properly taken up by the spiral shaped inlet edges 26, 26, on opposite sides of the impeller sections 18 and 18 which enter into the streams of water like a wedge splitting wood, and the spiroidal shaped workingfaces of the blades or vanes 24;, 24:, then act flat-wise upon the water instead of edge-wise, as in the usual form of helical pumps, and the water is spirally discharged from the impeller through a well rounded orifice or annular nozzle 4, and enters the volute discharge conduit 5 and is forced through the discharge 5'. 'As the water is passing from the impeller 18 into the annular nozzle st it draws out by surface con tact therewith and entraps or entrains the air or steam passing from the chambers 6, 6, through the openings 29, 29, and produces a suction and high vacuum in said chambers 6, 6.

f exhaust steam is led into the chambers 6, 6, by the inlet 7, then the same action takes place, and the exhaust steam is condensed, producing a vacuum which necessarily assists to draw out the steam from the chambers to thoroughly commingle with the water and be condensed thereby and pass out together through the nozzle "1' and discharge conduit 5.

In the condenser pump shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the operation is similar to that described above, except in addition, exhaust steam passes through the inlet pipes 31 into the chambers 30 and from thence out through the annular nozzle or outlet 82 to be taken up by the water passing from the suction chambers 3, 3, into both sides of the impeller 18.

In case the condensing pump is used inthe larger units, as for example, in irrigation or lraina e work, where the volume of water is large and the pumping head low, this form of pump can be used not only to elevate the water for irrigation or drainage, but also to condense the steam exhausted from a steam turbine driving the pump. In such cases the turbine exhaustpipe is turned into the air inlet 7 of the pump, so that steam instead of air will meet the water at the discharge from the impeller, and as the steam condenses to a relatively zero volume, said steam rushes into contact with the water with a very high velocity as compared with air entrained from a condenser, and said action not only results in forming a very good vacuum with perfectair pump action, but also to some extent in actually aiding in pumping the water. 7

ln condenser work, the inlet 7 is connected to the air space in the condenser and the inlet 31 connected to the exhaust of the turbine to make it operate as a condenser, while in irrigation or drainage work the inlet 7 could be closed or shut off and the inlet 31 used alone in communication with the ex haust of the turbine for condensing purposes, and hence ermit running the condensing unit without the usual condenser.

It will also be readil seen that owing to the relation of the volute suction chamberor chambers 3, 3, the annular nozzle 4:, volute discharge 5, and the sections 18 and 18 of the impeller 18, with respect to the discharge of the chambers 6 and 30, the condensing water is directed into most eliicient and maximum contact with the exhaust steam or air, and said water moves with the impeller in a erfect spiral ath, thereby takin up the rapid movement of the impeller without any churning action and producing a smooth and constant speed of rotation of said impeller, under the highest speed with excellent etliciency. V

lVhile I have shown a double suction pump, it will be readily seen that the same form of one-half of the impeller and casing having a sin le suction and discharge chamber could be adapted for single suction condensing pumps without avoiding the essential features of thenresent invention of daplex form of im eller. The double suction however, is the preferred form as it not onl v has the double capacity at the same s eed, butit is also self balancing for the reason that if the impeller 18 moves to the right of its position shown in Fig. 1, the area of the discharge from the impeller 18 into the nozzle 4 at the right will be smaller or narrower, while that on the left will be larger or wider, the result being to increase the discharge head or pressure on the right and increase the suction on the left, the combined effect of which is to promptly adjust the impeller 18 back to its proper and central po sition where the balancing forces are equalized, said balancing force being greatest at maximum discharge and becoming zero at no discharge, or shut-oft.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be readily seen that the casing, chambers therein, bearings, shaft and parts of the impeller are easily accessible, and that all the parts of the same may be cheaply and accurately manufactured, quickly installed and adjusted, or replaced, so as to insure steady and continuous operation under the highest speeds and with the highest efficiency.

What I claim is 1. A condenser pump comprising a casing having a discharge conduit and a suction conduit on each. side of said discharge conduit, a double suction impeller rotatably supported centrally with respect to said discharge conduit, a chamber for receiving steam or air in said casing interposed on each side of said discharge conduit, a combined packing and wear ring around each inlet of said impeller, and having passages therein for said steam or air from said chamber to the discharge side of said impeller.

2. A condenser pump comprising a casing having a discharge conduit and a volute suction conduit on each side of said discharge conduit, an annular nozzle merging in and integral with said discharge conduit, a double suction spiroidal impeller rotatably supported centrally with respect to said annular nozzle, a chamber for receiving steam or air in said casing interposed on each side of said discharge conduit, a combined packing and wear ring around each inlet of said impeller, and having passages therein for said steam or ir from said chamber to the discharge side of said impeller.

3. A condenser pump comprising a casing having side openings and a volute suction conduit on each side of a central volute dis charge conduit, an annular nozzle merging in the discharge conduit, :1 double suction impeller rotatably supported centrally with respect to said annular nozzle, a chamber for receiving steam or air in said casing interposed on each side of the discharge conduit and between the suction conduits, said chamber having an outlet adjacent to the outlet of said impeller, a hearing head supported in each of said side openings provided with a steam chamber casing projectinto the suction conduit and provided with an outlet adjacent to the inlet of the impeller.

l. A condenser pump comprising a casing having side openings and a volute suction conduit on each side of a central volute discharge conduit, an annular nozzle merging in the discharge conduit, a shaft passing centrally through said casing, a double suction spiroidal impeller secured to said shaft and rotatably supported centrally with respect to said annular nozzle, a chamber for receiving steam or air in said casing interposed on each side of the discharge conduitand between the suction conduits, said chamher having an outlet adjacent to the outlet of said impeller and inlet of the nozzle, :1 bear-in head supported in each of said side openings provided with a steam chamber casing projecting into the suction conduit and provided with a nozzle having an outlet adjacent to the inlet of the impeller and surrounding the shaft.

5. A concenser pump comprising a casing having a central discharge conduit and side openings, a volute suction conduit on each side of said central discharge conduit, an annular nozzle merging in and integral with the discharge conduit, a double suction impeller rotatablv supported centrally with respect to said annular nozzle, a bearing head attached to said casing within each of said side openings, and a chamber having an inlet for steam or air contained in each of said bearing heads and having an outlet adjacent to the inlet of said impeller.

(3. A condenser pump comprising a casing having a central discharge conduit and side openings, a volute suction conduit on each side of said central discharge conduit, a bearing head attached to said casing within each of said side openings, a shaft passing centrally through said casing, a double suction spiroidal impeller rotatably supported centrally with respect to said discharge conduit, a sleeve on said shaft at each side of said impeller, and a chamber having an inlet for steam or air contained in each or said bearing heads and an outlet through an annular nozzle around said sleeve near the inlet of said impeller.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES VOIiNEY KERR.

Witnesses Josnrn H. SEBALD, FERDINAND SIGNAROWITZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the uOlllHliSSiOllfil' of Patents. Washington, I). (3. 

